What do you enjoy most about working as the Recreation and Engagement Program Manager within OSU Research Forests?
I love so much about my job. One constant highlight is being able to help people form special connections to the forest. Seeing a family laugh and enjoy our Forest Discovery scavenger hunt; watching a dog excitedly bound up the trail; waving to an equestrian walking along the road; cheering on the youth mountain bike team. Witnessing all the ways in which people enjoy and benefit from nature – and knowing that I can be of service in helping to make it happen – makes the work I do feel especially meaningful.
I also love working with such a hard-working and kind team of Research Forest staff. Everyone here is very humble and dedicated to their work, which motivates and inspires my own professional growth.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time in the COF?
This is a hard one. I have so many great memories. Not surprisingly, I favor time spent outside. I especially love helping with forest tours. There is a subtle but significant change I’ve witnessed in people after meeting with them among the trees. Typically, at the beginning of any tour, people’s shoulders are a bit tensed, they are quiet, maybe a little fidgety and distracted. But by the end of the tour, people are noticeably more relaxed, smile more, curious and grateful. There is something very impactful about bringing people together outside that beats any phone call, Zoom or conference meeting.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love to spend quality time with my family and friends. My husband Marshall and I have two sons, a two-year-old and a five-year-old, so they keep us plenty busy and endlessly entertained. I love reading everything under the sun, gardening, hiking, journaling and exploring new places. I’ve been trying to get into trail running with minimal success – I keep telling myself the runners high will come eventually, right?
What is your favorite tree?
For a long time, I would have said aspen tree because I grew up in Colorado and have always loved their glimmery coin-like leaves. But honestly, I think the winner goes to the ponderosa pine. In fact, our older son Oren’s name means pine tree. I love its resiliency and hardiness, and I associate it with that dry, high alpine aesthetic that I have such a core fondness for.
What’s your favorite book or movie genre or your all-time favorite title?
I have several favorite books! I consider them my favorite because I’ve read these books more than once (I rarely read books more than once) and I think about them often. The genres are a bit all over the place but they are: Angle of Repose, Jane Eyre, Mists of Avalon, the Earthsea Trilogy, Middlemarch and Endurance.
